Saxophone octave key



March 19, 1929. I LB RT- 1,705,563

SAXOPHONE OCTAVE KEY F1166 March 1927 mum CAA/Jw Fr. i

V 5 4 Y 436K I W alia/11g!" Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

GHARLES A. TO LYON h'lA'lfElS FATENT GFFECE.

GILBERT, OF LA FORTE, INDEANA, .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, it. HEALY, KING, OF CEIQAGG, ILLENOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOES.

SAXOPHONE OCTAVE Application filed March 4,

This invention relates to improvements in up per octave hole closing and key devices for saxoplmnes and the like. and has for its principal obj e to provide an improved construction devices of the class described, wherein the action oi the upper octave hole cover and its associated key is rendered positive so as to eliminate the natural tendency of the cover to rebound or flutter when it closes.

lily invention is especially applicable to the mechanism for operating the upper octave hole of the saxophone. lhis hole is placed at the extreme upper end of the instrument, just below the mouthpiece. Heretofore, it has been usually controlled by a cover mounted on a relatively long lever having a spring connected therewith for closing the cover. Said lever is manipulated at the far end thereof, which end extends forwardly and then downwardly along the upper curved portion of the instrument body, and usually is provided with a ring attached to the lower end and surrounding the tube adjacent the other keys, so as to be readily depressed. Accordingly, this control lever is relatively long and massive, and is therefore inclined to be slow and uncertain in action, and especially has a tendency to bounce or flutter when the cover is permitted to strike the hole under pressure ol: the spring.

invention consists in providing an improved operating means including a plurality of coacting levers, as will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a saxophone constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the valve mechanism.

Referring to details shown in the drawings, 10 indicates the upper body port-ion of a saxophone with an octave hole 11 formed therein. cover 12 or the usual type is provideo for the hole, said cover being mounted on relatively short lever, 13, pivoted at 14 between supports 15, 15. A spring 16 is connected with the lever 13 andtending to close the same in the term shownsaid spring being of leaf type, lined at one end on the lever lo and having the other end projecting into engagement with a fiat bearing surface 1927. Serial No. 172,597.

16 on the tube surface and arranged to slide therealong, but tending to maintain the lever in closed position.

1 second lever 1'1", much longer than the lirst-iuimed lever 13, is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 18 on supports 19, preierably arranged so as to swing in substantial the some vertical plane as the shorter lever 1.3 and with its upper end movably connected to said shorter lever acent its free end. in the form shown, the movable connection consists of a pin 20 carried on the end of lever 1' and having loose-fitting engagement in an enlarged hole 21 it rined in the top of the This loose-fitting connection of cover 12. the permits freedom of pivotal movenient of the two levers in spite of the difference in the length of their respective lever It is manifest that the ends of the lovers may be loosely connected to operate the cover in many ways differing from the specific term shown.

The lower end of the'longer lever 17 constitutes the operating key for the mechanism, and for this purpose may be provided with aring 22, surrounding the tube 10 and operated through a lever (not shown) on the underside or" the tube in the same manner as heretofore used with single key levers of the usual type.

A double lever key mechanism constructed as above described, is manipulated in the same manner as before, but provides a more positive action owing to the peculiar construction thereof. The closing spring 16 is effective directly upon the shorter lever 13 at a point immediately adjacent the hole cover 12, and the provision of the two cooperating lovers of dili'erent lengths practically eliminates the tendency to flutter or bounce, which is so marked in the case of the single long control lever as heretofore used at this point. As a result of the positive key action described, the instrument can be played with much more rapidity and ease than formerly without danger of spoiling the tone due to sluggish action or fluttering of the octave hole cover.

While I have illustrated and described the particular embodiment of my invention, it wll be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modilications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as expressed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described an instrument body having an upper octave- .hole, a cover for said hole, means for operat- :ingg; said cover including two lovers of diitterent effective lengths and connecting means for said levers permitting limited relative movement therebetu'een.

2. in a device of the character described, an instrument body having an upper octaveholtg a cover for said hole, means for operating said cover including two levers oi? ditierent effective lengths and arranged to swing in substimtially the same vertical plane and. connecting means for said levers permitting); limited relative movement therebetween.

in a device of the character described, an instrument body having an upper octavehole, a cover "tor said hole, means for operating said. cover including two levers o'l. different clllective lengths, connecting means for said levers permitting limited relative movement therebetween and spring tension means ell'ective on the shorter of said levers.

4-. In a device of the character described, an instrument body having an upper octavehole, a cover for said hole, means for operat ing said cover including tWo levers of diliierent efliective lengths and arranged to swing in substantially the same vertical plane, COlillQCtlllQ means for said levers permitting limited relative movement 'therebetween, and tension means effective on the shorter of said levers.

5. In a device ol? the character described, an instrument body having an upper octavehole, a cover for said hole, a relatively short lever spring tension means effective through said short lever and tending to close said cover, and a longer, manually controllable lever operatively connectd with said cover lor raising the same.

(5. In a device of the character described, an instrument body having]; an upper octavehole, a cover for said hole a relatively short lever, spring tension means e'tlective through said short lever and tending to close said cover, and a longer, manually controllable lever arranged to swing in substantially the same vertical plane as said shorter lever, and operati rely connected with said cover for ra isiug the same.

higned at La lorte l nd, this 28th day or li ebruary, 1.927.

CHARLES A. GILBlfiltll. 

